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Area Lawmakers React To House Passed PA Budget Proposal

HARRISBURG – The PA House has passed a $29.1 billion budget proposal that includes no new tax increases. Cumberland County Rep Stephen Bloom said the 2014-15 budget plan represents the kind of responsible, commonsense fiscal choices for which he has consistently fought. While the budget responsibly funds the core functions of government and even provides modest increases for education and the intellectually disabled, Bloom added we are not sticking Pennsylvania taxpayers with even a dime of tax hikes or new taxes. The lawmaker said he was committed to not reach any deeper into the pockets of hard-working taxpayers.York County Rep. Seth Grove supported the measure saying we hold the line on spending under the rate of inflation making sure education gets the largest increase again this year. he added that he thinks Pennsylvanians will be happy with a no new tax increase that holds the line on spending. Lebanon County Rep. RoseMarie Swanger, who voted in favor of the measure, said it would bring our state’s ledger books into balance without tax increases. Additionally, this budget would increase education funding to local school districts to assist them with their growing pension obligations. The lawmaker hopes that the Senate will follow the House’s lead and take a fiscally responsible and taxpayer-friendly approach to balancing the budget. Depending on how much the measure is altered by the Senate, her present support for this bill could change. The plan relies on $380 million from the sell-off of the state’s wine and liquor operations as part of an effort to cover a massive revenue shortfall.